Gout on the rise in the UK

Gout is a form of arthritis, which is caused by uric acid build-ups in the blood, leading to swelling, redness and pain in the joints.

Research was carried out at Nottingham's City Hospital, monitoring over 4.5 million patients whose details were listed on the Clinical Practice Research Datalink. Doctors took note of both existing and new cases of the condition.

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From 1997 to 2012, doctors found that cases of gout rose by 64 per cent, with an average increase of four per cent each year. Approximately 116,000 of those on the database had been diagnosed with gout by 2012, meaning that one in 40 patients had the condition.

Dr Tim Tait of the UK Gout Society said: "The increase in gout is a result of a combination of factors - primarily an aging population and a growing obesity problem in the UK."

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